Let's Save the World...with KickBall?
Thursday, June 24, 2004
Just got off the phone after a long conversation with the other Brooklyn Commissioner: Amy Short. She seems very cool and honest. Although our leagues will be somewhat different, there's tons to like about what she's providing. Her fees are reasonable, at $720 a team, and she does give you alot for your money. Plus, she is a businesswoman, and doesn't intend on taking a bath, as I did in the fall. She wants the dough up front, and since she's put her own money up front to get the field space in Prospect Park, there is nothing wrong with her system at all.
She reigns from Baltimore, whose league I found out about only recently. From there she got her ideas about a very strict Co-Ed rule (with which i mostlty agree, and I truly admire the spirit behind it), and a fining system, with which I do not agree at all. Something tells me she may be liberal about fining, but that's her decision.
Bottom line: I invited her to come this Sunday to promote her league, and she will. She'll show up with fliers, and I will give her time to talk. Please, as I feel she is on the level, hear her out, and perhaps you can have two great nights of kickball in your week. Anyone showing her disrespect can hit the showers. I know exactly what she's going through, and I respect that. If u do not like something about her league, you can voice it with her, and perhaps she'll be receptive. But there is no reason to spew rancor. Again, kickball can go on everywhere, every night of the week, as far as I'm concerned.
COMPETITION: from another league in Brooklyn!!!
Guys, I have many different reactions to this new league. First, I say, the more the merrier. There is more than enough room for a billion kickball leagues in this Great City of Ours. If teams put up the $720 ante, which i do not find unreasonable, enjoy a nice Monday Night. You get a shirt with that, as well as some beer specials at sponsoring local bars. Its CO-ED rule is far stricter than ours, even makes me reconsider adapting it again, which, I did only a couple of days ago. So to Amy Short, the Commish over there: Kudos. Plus, she's the first Woman Commishioner of any league I know.
But they have FINES, and forfeits! If you alter your shirt, you're fined, and must pay the league. If a team violates the "ref" rule, it's $75. If you're not wearing your official uniform, you can't play. So they have issues similar to the ones we hate about the NBA. I have never even thought to tell a team to forfeit a game. Can its players dis the umps to the press, or is that a suspension?
Things happen so quickly. First we have the lights for the summer, then we don't. I am debating if it's a coincidence that once we lose our lights, the other league gets theirs in Prospect Park. However, if we got the lights there, would our league have transferred smoothly, because, everyone hates the idea of Roosevelt Island, and it's closer (at least by bicycle or car), and we could have it on the same night!?!
I am annoyed by the appraised culture of the other league. Jens and I set a tone for our league: free-wheeling, chaotic, but not outta hand. Countless hours I spent on this machine trying to make things cool for all, considering all kinda issues, making it appealing to as many types as possible. One of my biggest fears was that it would be too Hipster, and well, it is. But theirs seems like Lily-Cracka-Ass-Corporate-Whitey. I could be very wrong, and maybe Amy will strive to make her league as diverse as I want ours. I hope the Latin Kings and Chuck D. show up more often.
But folks knew our brand of k'ball was gonna be cool. If not, why did so many come? Let's face it: it is dope. I got this kind message from the Commish over in Seattle, Todd Arkley, just the other day:
kevin,
what can i say? i just spent the whole evening reading your whole weblog, watching videos, etc.
i love brooklyn kickball. there. i said it.
reading about your trials and tribulations in the blog, its as if we're sharing the same commish-mind.
i feel the same love and the same hurts all fuckin' season long. for real. god i love kickball.
it's retarded - i end up thinking, talking, writing, theorizing about kickball all the time. luckily, all the teams are becoming just as obsessed. our season is young - week #2 starts tomorrow and we'll be playing until the end of August. quick, check it out. www.arkley.net/kickball.
I implore everone to go to his site, because he and his brother's leagues are just like ours. They fuck around, drink, destroy other teams' symbols in effigy, and have a ton of fun. This is the part of America the world should know. Plus, it's not retarded, commishes like us have given their respective communities a chance to chill hard-core, forget about the bullshit in their lives, adapt different personas, make friends and lovers, and enjoy themsleves thoroughly. So many have told me that Kickball has either made them happy, or considerably happier than they were. At Sunday Night's End, I go around asking everyone if they had a good time, and almost invariably they say yes.
If i appeared like a grumpy Gus, then I'm a malcontent, but mostly, everyone got to do what they wanted. We want to keep it that way. Please encourage all your friends and teammates to come at 2 and keep our league alive.
But, if u go can do it, go ahead and join the other league as well; hell, I'm tempted. But remember what Sundays are about, albeit at 2, instead of 6. However, ya never know, we may have a miracle coming our way to reclaim the lights. But don't bet on it.
Wednesday, June 23, 2004
Never fuck with a cook's food or utensils (particularly if said cook is actually in the process of cooking and not actively involved in a particular situation). Also, spatulas are never hot, most are made of a plastic polymer that can withstand extreme temperatures AND stays cool to the touch...
Unlike Senor Pea, I actually plan to address some kicball related issues. Just not in this posting...expect another later today, oh and feel free to hold your breath.
LPM
RA
This is Sweetpea, posting a B-L-O-G on the W-E-B. Kevin asked me to write some thoughts, though all I have to say to these other postings is that I personally witnessed Franz Pirato physically assault another player with a hot spatula.
Also, its great that the Orphans got Bass to sponsor their uniforms. Bass is so important, its hard to think of any contemporary music without it. Remember when you were driving to the Galleria Mall in mom's stationwagon with your cronies all high and shit and Chuck D was blastin out the little speakers? What was keepin you bumpin? BASE!!! Indeed, how low can you go - how about Geddy Lee all rockin out on that Fender Jazz Bass on Moving Pictures?? You know hearing that shit gave you the rock chill, that and seeing Rush on the Power Windows tour in '85 with Ted and Ted's dad, don't front.
Big ups to the little red triangle also appears on the new Orphans uniform. GO, LITTLE RED TRIANGLE!!!
Tuesday, June 22, 2004
Congrats to Franz for passing da Bar. I offer this pleasantry now, (and hey, ladies, if franz weren't taken, I'm sure you could get him to star in your kinky kickball porn, but feel free to ask me, i'll do anything on film if you drug me first), because there will be tons of things below he will disagree with. Perhaps, everything! But Franz is a stand up guy even if his B.A.L. will probably be too high for court.
I don't even know how to focus with all the goingson and different issues:
I guess this is first: there is a three girl minimum on the field, as of now. If you ain't got three sistas, you best get them, or I'll deduct a fielder for every woman you lack.
We are approaching our last night under the lights. Yes, I am not happy about it. To everyone I say, I hope we can maintain attendance, as I know biting into peoples' days is not the most convenient of scheduling. But try to get people to get off their hungover ass into the Sun by 2.
Franz, aka the Rear Admiral, and I have quickly become friends, and even quicker have butted heads on a variety of issues. He believes, as do others, that someone throwing a swing should be thrown out for good. Actually, I do too, but I had to make an exception because almost from day one, members of Los Piratas Mechanicos have violated the spirit of the game, specifically on the issue of trash talking. Some on the team have been "trite or violent" and I should have thrown some of them off the field on at least 5 occasions. Not that I want to, and trust me, I have mad respect for their team, their winning streak, and many of their players. They have a great core of infielders, and some of the best kickers in the league. To boot, many of them work diligently and bravely for their respective jobs/careers. But for whatever reason, some of them look at me as their enemy, as if I'm not responsible for their having many a great Sunday night. They think I'm picking on them when I tell them, say every inning of their every game, not to throw the ball around between innings, because I want to have as many games on the main field as possible. They have gotten in my face about umpiring, when really, the only people ever providing consistent, helpful and qualified umping, besides me, is Kevin Harley and Jensy. I have to CONSTANTLY beg people to umpire, and meanwhile, does anyone notice how much I spend refereeing, and helping to organize the games on both fields(although, this past week, Jensy was chiefly responsible for the card table)? SURE, I will miss a call, EVERYONE WILL, which is why I consulted with another umpire twice, just like they do in the NBA. I even appealed to a fielder's honesty (during the lopsided Orphans-Pirates game) as to whether or not he dropped a ball on a force-out play, and his better nature compelled him to admit he did, and I reversed the call.
But I say to everyone, especially to the Captains, with the exception of Kevin and Jensy: you get what u give. In order to have a well officiated game, we need three umps on the Main Field. If I'm not playing, I will call 2nd base. If you can't get your teammates to call games with knowledge, conviction, and true attention, DO NOT EXPECT TO GET IT IN YOUR GAME.
Furthermore, Franz is a funny, intelligent man, and I like the way he runs Los Piratas. His trash-talking is humorous and within bounds. But the fact that he has to spell out basic rules, not in kickball, but in life, such as: no punching, no spitting, no kicking, etc, implies that he knows some on his team can be belligerent drunks. People on his team have crossed over the line, and have received nothing so much but as an admonishment from him.
I don't care if people don't think that one can't be violent with words. Just because it's not against the law, doesn't mean it's not wrong. Many of the Ten Commandments are legal. Some Commandments shouldn't be illegal in certain cases, such as killin' or stealing from Whitey. Conversely, the pot you smoke could get ya busted. or Trouble. Do not stand weasly behind the law, as many of the laws in this country are fucked up. So trust me, for starters and for instance, if anyone calls me a "Bitch", a word I've learned/grown to detest, you're out of that game. If I see someone saying "Bring it On!" with foam running down their mouth, you're gone too. The spirit of the game is Paramount to me. Don't act like a dick and then say you're kidding: that is soooo gay. People can sense your true nature and intentions.
However, henceforth, anyone throwing a swing is gone for the season. Anyone retaliating beyond reason is expelled too.
Having said all that, as much as I was annoyed at the time, and had to be annoyed, BA's traitor move was funny and well orchestrated. So props to Franz and BA for that entertainment. Franz has very many great ideas for different outings all of us Kickballers can participate in, and I'm sure he'll let you all know soon.
Last word on the last night under the lights: enjoy it. We were lucky to have it and I hope we can get it again soon. Please, go easy on the drinking during the day games. You *will* wipe yourself out quickly, and I don't want or need people foolishly passing out in 90+ degree weather. Bring plenty of water, and keep yourself hydrated and wet. With a little luck you can get wet with a friend.
